ROOT ك س ب

2:175; 3:200; 13:27.

Important Words:

ویل (woe) means: (1) the coming or befalling of some calamity, misfortune or sorrow; (2) punishment; (3) perdition. The expression ویل له or ویله or ویل لك or ویلك etc. is used as a warning for some coming sorrow or misfortune (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

There were Jews who composed books or parts thereof and then gave them out as the word of God. This malpractice was common among the Jews and other peoples. Therefore, in addition to the canonical Books of the Bible, there are a number of books which are supposed to be revealed, so that it has now become impossible to distinguish the revealed Books from those not revealed. Another mal-practice of the Jews was that they distorted the meaning of the Divine Word. They themselves wrote a whole book or part thereof and declared it to be based on Biblical evidence; while, as a matter of fact, it was opposed to this evidence. Those responsible for this were responsible not only for their own misdeeds, namely, fabricating and distorting the Word of God, but also for the misdeeds of their followers who were led by their example to commit one or all of the following acts (1) tampering with the Word of God (2:76); (2) preferring worldliness to religion (2:77); and (3) following their own vain desires and false notions (2:79). Hence, while speaking of them, the Quran uses the word ویل (woe) in order to warn them and remind them of the seriousness of their offence.

Some Christian writers have argued that the verse under comment proves that the Jewish and Christian scriptures were intact at the time of the Holy Prophet. This inference is absolutely unjustified. For tampering with the text does not necessarily mean tampering with a genuine text. One who tampers with a version of a false book which he believes to be true is as liable to blame as the one who tampers with a genuine scripture. Hence, the warning to the People of the Book against tampering with the Bible cannot be cited as proof of the existence of the true Bible at the time of the Holy Prophet.

The words, paltry price, do not mean that the taking of a good price would be lawful. The words have been used to point out that whatever price they may take would be paltry in view of the great loss they would be suffering thereby. Elsewhere, the Quran says: the benefit of this world is little (4:78).

In the last clause the Quran repeats the words, Woe to them, twice, saying: Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. This is to point out that by so doing the Israelites are committing two offences: (1) writing down a thing falsely and (2) doing it with the intention of earning some worldly benefit. As the offence is double, the punishment also will be double.

Important Words:

سیئة (evil) is derived from ساء meaning, it or he was or became evil or bad. So سیئة means, anything that is evil or bad. The Arabs say قول سیء i.e. an evil word or an evil opinion (Aqrab).

خطیئة (sins) is derived from خطأ meaning, he committed a mistake or an offence or a sin. The word خطیئة, though translated here as plural, is really singular, meaning, a sinful act or an offence, whether intentional or otherwise (Aqrab, Mufradat & Lane).

Commentary:

This and the following verse prescribe the law of punishment and reward, or, in other words, of Hell and Heaven. The Quran here begins with the law pertaining to punishment, because in the preceding verse the Jews claimed immunity from punishment. The Jews based their claim on the fact that they were a chosen people of God, being descended from Prophets. The Quran strongly repudiates this idea, saying, that Hell and Heaven have not been earmarked for any race. The entry of man into Hell or Heaven depends on what beliefs he holds and what actions he performs in this world. If a man holds wrong beliefs and performs sinful deeds, he will go to Hell, irrespective of the fact whether he is a Jew or a Christian or anybody else.

In the verse under comment, the word سیئة (evil) read with the context signifies rejection of the Holy Prophet by the Jews, thus referring to the condition as to wrong belief, and the word خطیئة (sin) signifies their general misdeeds, thus referring to the condition as to sinful actions. It must, however, be noted that, as occasional stumbling is generally pardonable with the Merciful God, provided the belief is good and provided further that there is an honest effort on one’s part to live righteously, the words, he is encompassed by his sins, have been used to point to the fact that only such misdeeds can drive one to Hell as are so large in number as to virtually encompass a man, just as an invading army encompasses a besieged force, leaving it no way out.

Coming as it does after a narration of the wrong beliefs and sinful deeds of the Israelites, the verse warns the Jews that with such a black record they should be ashamed to claim immunity from the punishment of Hellfire.

2:142.

Commentary:

The People of the Book are here warned that the fact that they are the descendants of God’s Prophets would not avail them in any way. Their forefathers reaped the rewards of their good deeds and won God’s favours; and if they also wish to become His favourites, they must perform similar deeds and show implicit obedience to God and complete submission to His will. The fact that they are descended from holy persons makes them all the more responsible.

See 2:135.

Commentary:

Jews and Christians are once more warned against relying upon those of their forefathers who won the pleasure of God by their good deeds. It is their own deeds and not those of others that will save them. Their own good actions alone can bring them salvation and not the fact that they are the descendants or followers of Abraham, Jacob, Moses or Jesus. No bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another, says the Quran (6:165).

Important Words:

نصیب (share) is derived from نصب. They say نصبه i.e. he set it up. Therefore نصیب means, a set share or portion (Lane).

Commentary:

Such men as seek the good things of this world as well as the good things of the Hereafter (2:202) will have their reward from God according to their deserts. The clause, Allah is swift at reckoning, however, contains a warning to such men, hinting that as some of their efforts are being spent in pursuit of the things of this world, they should be careful lest any stumbling or weakness on their part should bring on them God’s displeasure. The clause also points to the important fact that God has so ordained that in nature every action is immediately followed by its consequences, inasmuch as it leaves an impression on man, and thus all actions are preserved. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that when a man commits an evil deed, a black spot is formed in his heart and if he repeats the sin, the spot grows bigger and so on (Musnad). This, indeed, is the result which quickly follows the actions of man. In fact it is a reckoning which accompanies all actions of man.

5:90.

Important Words:

یؤاخذکم (will call you to account) is derived from اخذ. اخذه means, he took hold of him; he seized him. آخذه means, he called him to account; he punished or chastised him (Aqrab).

اللغو (vain) is derived from لغا. They say لغابکلمة i.e. he uttered or spoke a word. لغا الشیء means, the thing went in vain. لغا عن الطریق means he deviated from the path. لغافی قوله means, he spoke without proper care and thinking. اللغو therefore means, a speech or writing, etc. which is worthless and of no account and deserves no attention; it also means, the barking of a dog (Aqrab). لاغاه means, he jested or joked with him (Lane). اللغو also means that which one utters without seriously meaning it (Muhit).

حلیم (Forbearing) is derived from حلم meaning, he was forbearing and clement; he forgave and connived at offences; he controlled his temper in moments of anger; he was patient, sedate, or intelligent and calm and was not hasty in punishing or taking revenge. Thus حلیم which is one of the attributive names of God, means, one who is forbearing and to whom the disobedience of the disobedient does not cause agitation or excitement, who is slow in punishing but quick in forgiving; it also means one who is intelligent (Aqrab, Lane & Mufradat).

Commentary:

Oaths are very serious things, as mentioned in the preceding verse, but some men are in the habit of swearing without meaning anything. Such oaths as are referred to in this verse are oaths taken carelessly or as a matter of habit or those taken in a sudden fit of anger. The fact that such oaths are not liable to be punished does not, however, mean that indulgence in them is permitted. It only means that a person who swears vain oaths will not be punished on the basis of such oaths, i.e. these oaths will not be legally treated as oaths. But he will certainly suffer the consequences of indulging in vain and useless talk. A Muslim is expected to avoid all things that are vain or purposeless and the Quran clearly enjoins it (23:4).

The clause, He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned, means that a person will have to answer for oaths he takes consciously and deliberately. The words, what your hearts have earned, also hint that God does not call a man to account for such passing thoughts as may flash across the mind and then disappear. Only such thoughts are punishable as are "earned" by the heart, i.e. cherished and retained by the mind.

The words, Allah is Most Forgiving, Forbearing, signify that as Allah knows your weaknesses, He treats you with forbearance, and does not call you to account for such of your acts as you might do without meaning them.

See 2:263.

4:39; 8:48.

14:19.

Important Words:

رئاء (to be seen) is derived from رأی i.e. he saw with his physical or mental eyes. الرئاء means, to make a show of goodness or virtue without there being any sincere or genuine feeling behind it, simply to be seen of men (Aqrab & Mufradat).

صفوان (smooth rock) is in the measure of رحمان being derived from صفا i.e. it became clear or pure and was free from dirt, etc. صفوان besides being used in the singular number is also the plural of صفاة meaning, a smooth and hard rock (Aqrab).

وابل (heavy rain) is derived from وبل. They say وبله بالعصا i.e. he beat or battered him with a rod continuously. وبلت السماءmeans, the sky poured forth heavy rain (Aqrab).

صلد (bare, smooth and hard) is from صلد. They say صلدالزند i.e. the material, meant for producing fire gave out a sound but no Spark. صلد الارض means, the earth became hard. صلد السائل means, he turned away the beggar without giving him anything. صلد is, therefore, spoken of such rock or piece of ground as is hard and smooth and grows nothing (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse makes it clear that a Muslim who follows up his charity with taunt and injury, undoes his own good act and will have no reward with God. He is like a disbeliever who spends merely to be seen of and praised by men. The words, ‘and he believes not in Allah and the Last Day’ have been added because sometimes even a believer does a deed to be seen of men, and that act of his has a useful purpose. For instance, it is on record that once a Companion of the Holy Prophet was seen strutting before the hostile Quraish of Mecca. When the Prophet saw the man thus walking, he said, "This gait is hateful to God, but on the present occasion it is not so." In fact, there had been an outbreak of fever among the Companions who were greatly weakened thereby, and the aforesaid Muslim walked with a boastful gait in order to make a display of his strength so that the enemy might not think that the Muslims had been weakened by fever. This turned an ordinarily reprehensible act into a praiseworthy one. Elsewhere Muslims have been bidden to spend their money not only secretly but also openly (2:275), and the object underlying this injunction is that other Muslims, seeing a brother of theirs expending money in the cause of God, may be induced to follow his good example. But he who has no faith in God expends his money openly solely with the object of winning the good opinion of men, and such a one has no reward with God.

The concluding portion of the verse likens a disbeliever to a smooth rock which is not fit for producing a crop; but sometimes, when it is covered with a layer of dust, some corn may grow on it, i.e. when circumstances are favourable and such person does some really good deed, he derives some benefit from it. But when he spends money merely for the sake of display and show, his good deeds are wasted, just as a heavy rain washes away the dust from the surface of a smooth and hard rock, leaving it bare and unproductive.

Important Words:

تیمموا (seek) is derived from یم or ام. They say یمه i.e. he sought it. یمم فلانابرمح means, he sought and singled out that person for attacking with his spear. تیمم الامر means, he sought and singled out the affair. تیمم للصلوة means, he performed what is termed تیمم for his Prayers, i.e. instead of performing the prescribed ablution with water he sought dust and touching it with his hands passed them over his face, etc. (Aqrab & Mufradat).

خبیث (bad) is derived from خبث i.e. he or it was or became bad or foul or abominable or wicked or filthy or impure (Lane).

تغمضوا (connive) is derived from اغمض which again is derived from غمض i.e. it became hidden and concealed. غمض فی الکلامmeans, he made his speech obscure, and abstained from making it clear in meaning. اغمض means, he closed, or shut his eyes; he connived at something so as to practically treat it as something unseen or hidden. اغمض فی البیع means, he demanded a lowering of the price of a thing owing to its badness. اغمض عنه فی البیع means, he connived at the bad quality of the thing and was not strict settling its price (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The verse implies that believers should not only spend in the cause of Allah but should spend what is good and pure; for even a lawfully-earned property might include things that are bad. They should not deliberately select worthless and worn out things for the purpose of charity. Old and second-hand things may indeed be given to the poor, but such things should not be specially selected or singled out for this purpose. Indeed, a believer can be said to have properly discharged his duty for "spending" in the cause of Allah only if he spends "good things".

See 2:273.

Commentary:

The verse sums up the discussion on the subject of taking interest by warning the people that the day is coming when they will be made to stand before God and render an account of their deeds. They should remember the principle, "Do as you would be done by". The Holy Prophet is reported to have said,

"None of you can be deemed to be a true believer, unless he likes for his brother what he likes for himself" (Bukhari & Muslim).

See 2:234.

3:148.

Important Words:

اصرا (responsibility). They say اصرالشیء i.e. he broke the thing. اصرہ means, be confined or detained or debarred him; he held him in custody or he restrained him. اصرالخیمة means, he provided the tent with a peg or a rope for tying. اصر (isr.) or اصر (asr) or اصر (usr) means: (1) a burden which restrains one from motion; (2) a burdensome covenant or a heavy responsibility the breaking of which makes one deserving of punishment; (3) a sin, or an offence; and (4) grievous punishment of a sin (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The clause, Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity, is a powerful refutation of the doctrine of Atonement. It embodies two important principles: (1) That the commandments of God are always given with due regard for human capacities and weaknesses. (2) That purification in this world does not necessarily signify complete freedom from all kinds of failings and shortcomings. All that man is expected to do is sincerely to strive after good and avoid sin to the best of his power, and the rest will be forgiven him by the Merciful God. So no atonement is needed.

The word کسب (earns) has been used here with regard to the doing of good deeds and اکتسب (incurs) for the doing of evil deeds. They are from the same root but the latter denotes greater exertion. Thus the words hint that a man will be rewarded for good deeds even if they are done casually and without concentrated effort, while he will be punished for his evil deeds only if they are committed deliberately and with concentrated effort.

In ordinary circumstances, نسیان (forgetfulness) and خطاء (error) are not punishable, for they lack intention or motive which are necessary for punishment. But here the words denote a forgetfulness and an error which might have been avoided, if due care had been exercised.

As explained under Important Words above, the word اصر (responsibility) has several connot-ations, all of which are applicable here. Hence, the verse may also be translated as (a) Impose not on us a sin, i.e. enable us to avoid sin and prevent us from the doing of deeds which might make us stumble; (b) Do not punish us if we commit some sin or break some covenant; (c) Taking the expression لاتحمل علینا to mean, as it literally does, do not make it ride us or do not mount it on us, the clause may also be rendered as, do not make a responsibility or a covenant mount on us as Thou didst mount it on those before us. The simile is beautiful. divine covenants are meant to help the people in their onward march; but sometimes, through abuse or breach, they become a burden, instead of a help, thus turning into a rider in place of a riding beast. Muslims are taught to pray against such an eventuality.

The words, lay not on us a responsibility as Thou didst lay upon those before us, do not mean that Muslims have been taught to wish for lighter burdens. The facts of history belie that inference. The words only mean that God may help Muslims to fulfil their responsibilities and to avoid sins as well as the consequences thereof. The previous peoples were entrusted with some responsibilities and given certain commandments which were all for their own good, but many of them failed to fulfil them and also rejected Islam to which they had been invited and thus turned a blissful guidance into a veritable means of incurring God’s displeasure. Thus, they were virtually laid under an isr or a burdensome responsibility. Muslims, being the bearers of the final and universal Shari‘ah, have been exhorted to set a better example and pray to God for success in their great task and in the fulfilment of their heavy responsibilities. The laying of burden or burdensome responsibility has been attributed to God just as in the Quranic idiom ضلالة (misguidance) is sometimes attributed to Him for which see 2:7.

The clause, lay not on us a responsibility as Thou didst lay on those before us, may also refer to Christians particularly who, by declaring the Law to be a curse, converted a divine mercy into an isr, i.e. a burden and a punishment. Muslims are thus taught to pray that for them the Shari‘ah may always remain a mercy. In this case the verse comes as a fitting preamble to the succeeding Surah of which Christianity forms the special theme.

The clause, and efface our sins and grant us Forgiveness and have Mercy on us, comprises three important invocations placed in perfect order. They not only correspond to the preceding three prayers but also constitute a perfect manifestation of a perfect treatment on the part of a perfect Master. فاعف عنا means that God may efface our sins and leave out no trace of them to be seen by men. اغفرلنا means that He may not only efface our sins but also grant us forgiveness so that He Himself may treat them as non-existent. And ارحمنا means that God may not only efface our sins and forgive us but also show positive mercy to us.

The concluding clause, help us Thou against the disbelieving people, provides a fitting ending to the Surah. The Muslims are out for a great struggle. The entire world of کفر (disbelief) is arrayed against them and the field of work, as hinted in Abraham’s prayer (2:130), is wide and far-stretched, extending over (1) heavenly signs, (2) laws and covenants, (3) wisdom and philosophy, (4) morals and spirituality, and (5) general progress. This was a stupendous task and unless God came to their help, there was little hope for that tiny Muslim community that was just emerging into existence. But God did come to their help.